Air supplying device for a vehicle seat

ABSTRACT

Air supply device is provided for a vehicle seat of an open-top motor vehicle having at least one air outflow opening which is provided in the upper region of the vehicle seat and via which an airstream can be applied to the head area, shoulder area and nape area of the sitting vehicle occupant in order to reduce undesired draught phenomenon. The airstream can be regulated by means of a control device. In order to provide improved comfort for the sitting vehicle occupant when driving with the top open, the airstream is adjusted, when the air supply device is switched on, by means of the control device as a function of an automatically sensed external parameter value or of a predefined value selectable by the sitting vehicle occupant, to an assigned basic value, starting from which the further adjustment of the airstream is carried out as a function of an automatically sensed further parameter value.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an air supply device for a vehicle seat of anopen-top motor vehicle having at least one air outflow opening which isprovided in the upper region of the vehicle seat and via which anairstream can be applied to the head area, shoulder area and nape areaof the sitting vehicle occupant in order to reduce undesired draughtphenomenon, and wherein the airstream can be regulated by means of acontrol device.

DE 92 01 474 U1 discloses such an air supply device having at least oneair outflow opening which is provided in the upper region of the vehicleseat and via which an airstream can be applied to the head area,shoulder area and nape area of the sitting vehicle occupant in order toreduce undesired draught phenomena. The air supply device is suppliedwith air which is taken in during driving via inflow cross sections andis fed to the air outflow opening through lines and ducts by means ofdynamic pressure or a blower.

The object of the invention is to provide an air supply device of thetype mentioned at the beginning with improved comfort for the sittingvehicle occupant when driving with the top open.

This object is achieved according to the invention by means of an airsupply device for a vehicle seat of an open-top motor vehicle having anair supply device and at least one air outflow opening of the air supplydevice which is provided in an upper region of the vehicle seat, viawhich an airstream generated by a blower can be applied to a sittingvehicle occupant head area, shoulder area and nape area in order toreduce undesired draught phenomenon, wherein the airstream can beregulated by means of a control device of the air supply device,wherein, when the blower of the air supply device is switched on, theairstream is adjusted by means of the control device as a function of apredefined value, selectable by the sitting vehicle occupant, to anassigned basic value, starting from which the further adjustment of theairstream is carried out as a function of the velocity of the motorvehicle. Advantageous refinements of the invention are given in thesubclaims.

According to the invention, after the air supply device has beenswitched on, the airstream is adjusted to a basic value by means of thecontrol device as a function of the automatically sensed externalparameter value or of a manually selected predefined value. Theautomatically sensed external parameter value is to be understood herein particular as the external temperature on the basis of which theairstream is adapted to an assigned temperature and intensity. This iscarried out in particular by controlling the heating power of a heatingelement and the rotational speed of a blower. The predefined value whichcan be selected by the sitting vehicle occupant is to be understood inparticular as the adjustment of a value by means of a regulating devicein the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. As a result, a basicvalue is either adjusted automatically or as a function of the sittingvehicle occupant, and said basic value can be adapted conveniently andeasily to, for example, at least approximately constant conditions suchas the external temperature. The further adjustment of the airstream onthe basis of the aforesaid basic value is then carried out as a functionof an automatically sensed further parameter value, for example thevelocity of the motor vehicle, which changes very frequently in thedriving mode of the motor vehicle, as a result of which it may benecessary, for example, to permanently adapt, for example, the intensityor heat of the airstream.

It has proven effective, for example, to graduate the basic value of theairstream in three power levels, the optimum level of which can beselected by the sitting vehicle occupant.

Further advantages features and details of the invention emerge from thefollowing description of preferred exemplary embodiments as well as withreference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an open-top motor vehicle with avehicle seat with an associated air supply device according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of parts of the backrest of thevehicle seat, into which backrest the air supply device is integrated;

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the headrest of a vehicle seat,into which headrest the air supply device is integrated; and

FIG. 4 is a diagram in which the airstream with the fan speed of theblower and the heating power of the heating element are represented as afunction of the velocity of the motor vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an open-top motor vehicle in whosepassenger cell 10 a row of seats with two vehicle seats 12 is arranged.An air supply device 14 which is illustrated only schematically in FIG.1 and is explained in more detail below with reference to the furtherfigures is integrated into each of the two vehicle seats 12, an airoutflow opening 18 of the air supply device 14 being represented at thelevel of the upper region of the backrest 16 of the seat 12. Anairstream which can be regulated can be supplied via this air outflowopening 18 to the head area, shoulder area and nape area of the sittingvehicle occupant, in order to reduce undesired draught phenomenon whichis explained in more detail below.

The air supply device 14 is connected here both to a sensor 20 forsensing the external temperature and to a sensor 22 for sensing thevelocity. The two sensors 20, 22 are connected to a control device 24which is arranged, for example, inside the respective seat 12 and bymeans of which the airstream emerging from the air outflow opening 18 iscontrolled in a way which will be described below. In addition, aregulating device 26, which is connected to the control device 24 and bymeans of which the sitting vehicle occupant can carry out manualadjustment of the airstream, which is also described below, is providedin the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. In the exemplaryembodiment shown here, the velocity is sensed by an ABS control device28 which is present in any case and which converts the instantaneousvelocity into an electronic signal and transmits it to the controldevice 24. The external temperature can be sensed by a temperaturesensor 20, which is present in any case, in order to display thetemperature in the cockpit, the temperature being converted into anelectronic signal and transmitted to the control device 24 in the seat12.

FIG. 2 illustrates, in a schematic perspective view, parts of thebackrest 16 of the seat 12 according to FIG. 1, into which backrest 16the air supply device 14 is integrated. A backrest frame 30 and a reartrim 32 of the backrest 16 of the seat 12 can be seen. A ductarrangement 36 of the air supply device 14 is arranged inside thebackrest 16. Connected upstream of the duct arrangement 36 is a blower38 which is accommodated in a housing and whose air inlet is on the rearside of the backrest 16. In addition, a heating element 39, which isconnected downstream of the blower 38 and which can be controlled bymeans of the control device 24 and with which the airstream of the airsupply device 14 can be conditioned is arranged inside the ductarrangement 36. In the region of the headrest (not shown in FIG. 2), theduct arrangement 36 opens into the air outflow opening 18 through whichthe conditioned airstream emerges in the direction of the head area,shoulder area and the nape area of the sitting vehicle occupant in orderto considerably reduce draught phenomenon occurring when driving with anopen top. The air outflow opening 18 ends approximately flush at thesurface of the front side of the headrest and is integrated therein.

At the input end, the control device 24 senses the external parametervalue which has been automatically sensed by the external temperaturesensor 20 and/or the predefined value which has been transmitted by theregulating device 26. The external parameter value and/or the predefinedvalue are used here, as is apparent from FIG. 4, to adjust a low, mediumor high basic value G1-G3 of the airstream L. This basic value G1-G3 ofthe airstream L is determined by an assigned fan speed n of the blower38 and an assigned heating power h of the heating element 39. By meansof the regulating device 26 which is indicated here by dashed lines, thesitting vehicle occupant can also adjust a corresponding basic valueG1-G3, for example if no automatic adjustment is provided by means ofthe external predefined value or if the airstream L which is preset bymeans of the external predefined value is too low or too high for thesitting vehicle occupant.

As is apparent from considering FIGS. 2 and 4 together, the furtheradjustment of the airstream L (FIG. 4) starting from the basic valueG1-G3 described above is carried out as a function of the velocity Vwhich is sensed automatically by the sensor 22. Starting from the basicvalues G1-G3, the further adjustment of the airstream L is accordinglycarried out along the control curves S1-S3. Since the turbulence in thehead area and nape area of the passenger becomes greater as the velocityV increases, the airstream L correspondingly increases—as is apparentfrom FIG. 4—starting from the basic value G1-G3 which has been set, byvirtue of the fact that the blower 38 feeds more air as a result of anincreasing fan speed, and the heating power of the heating element 39 isalso increased by the control device 24 in accordance with the greateramount of air which is fed. Accordingly, the heating power of theheating element 39 is reduced by the control device 24 as the velocitydrops. In accordance with the control curves S1-S3, a linear rise in theairstream L occurs here as the velocity increases. Equally, a non-linearrise and correspondingly a curved profile of the control curves S1-S3would be conceivable. It would also be conceivable, when the externalparameter value changes, to change the fan speed or the heating power,or to change both values. The external parameter value which is sensedautomatically by means of the external temperature sensor 20 and/or thepredefined value which is transmitted by the control device 26 ischecked at regular intervals inside the control device 24. If, forexample, the external temperature is changed beyond a specific value, adifferent basic value G1-G3 of the airstream L is set by means of thecontrol device 24. Of course, in this context it is conceivable to adopta division into more than three basic values.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the headrest 44 of a vehicleseat, into which headrest 44 the air supply device 14 is integratedaccording to a further embodiment. The air supply device 14 comprises apipe duct 46 which extends from the front side as far as the rear sideof the headrest 44 and runs in the longitudinal direction of the vehicleand in a further lower region of the headrest 44. The pipe duct 46 ispreferably manufactured from a soft plastic or from rubber. A rear partof the pipe duct 46 forms an air inlet 50 here on the intake side of theblower 38 which is formed here as an axial fan, and a front part of theair duct 46 opens at the front side of the headrest 44 in the region ofthe air outflow opening 18. The heating element 39 is arranged insidethe pipe duct 46, approximately in the center of the headrest 44. Inorder to conduct the warm air in an optimum way to the head area, napearea and shoulder area of the sitting vehicle occupant, an airconducting device with a plurality of adjustable air directing vanes 48is arranged in the region of the outlet opening 18 of the air outletduct 46. The airstream L is regulated by means of the control device 24by means of the fan speed n of the blower 38 and the respectivelyassigned heating power h of the heating element 39 in a way which isidentical to the first exemplary embodiment, said regulating processbeing specifically carried out again as a function of the externaltemperature or the velocity. The control device 24 is not shown in FIG.3 since the means of controlling the heating element 39 and the means ofcontrolling the blower 38 are identical to the first exemplaryembodiment.

1.-7. (canceled)
 8. A vehicle seat of an open-top motor vehicle havingan air supply device and at least one air outflow opening of the airsupply device, which is provided in an upper region of the vehicle seat,via which an airstream generated by a blower can be applied to a sittingvehicle occupant head area, shoulder area and nape area in order toreduce undesired draught phenomenon, wherein the airstream can beregulated by means of a control device of the air supply device, andwherein, when the blower of the air supply device is switched on, theairstream is adjusted by means of the control device as a function of apredefined value, selectable by the sitting vehicle occupant, to anassigned basic value, starting from which the further adjustment of theairstream is carried out as a function of the velocity of the motorvehicle.
 9. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein the basicvalue of the airstream is determined by an assigned fan speed of theblower and an assigned heating power of a heating element.
 10. Thevehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein during the furtheradjustment of the airstream, the fan speed of a blower can be adjustedas a function of the velocity of the motor vehicle.
 11. The vehicle seatas claimed in claim 9, wherein during the further adjustment of theairstream, the fan speed of a blower can be adjusted as a function ofthe velocity of the motor vehicle.
 12. The vehicle seat as claimed inclaim 8, wherein the basic value of the airstream is adjusted as afunction of the external temperature.
 13. The vehicle seat as claimed inclaim 8, wherein the basic value of the airstream can be adjusted in oneof a plurality of power levels.
 14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim8, wherein during the further adjustment of the airstream the fan speedof a blower can be adjusted as a function of the velocity of the motorvehicle.
 15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein theexternal parameter value for adjusting the basic value is newlydetermined at regular intervals during the driving operation.
 16. Thevehicle seat of claim 12, wherein the basic value of the airstream canbe adjusted in one of a plurality of power levels.
 17. The vehicle seatof claim 16, wherein during the further adjustment of the airstream thefan speed of a blower can be adjusted as a function of the velocity ofthe motor vehicle.
 18. The vehicle seat of claim 9, wherein the externalparameter value for adjusting the basic value is newly determined atregular intervals during the driving operation.
 19. The vehicle seat ofclaim 10, wherein the external parameter value for adjusting the basicvalue is newly determined at regular intervals during the drivingoperation.
 20. The vehicle seat of claim 11, wherein the externalparameter value for adjusting the basic value is newly determined atregular intervals during the driving operation.
 21. The vehicle seat ofclaim 12, wherein the external parameter value for adjusting the basicvalue is newly determined at regular intervals during the drivingoperation.
 22. The vehicle seat of claim 13, wherein the externalparameter value for adjusting the basic value is newly determined atregular intervals during the driving operation.
 23. The vehicle seat ofclaim 14, wherein the external parameter value for adjusting the basicvalue is newly determined at regular intervals during the drivingoperation.
 24. An air supply arrangement for supplying a draughtreducing airstream to a vehicle occupant neck area during driving of anopen top motor vehicle comprising: an airstream supply system operableto blow an airstream adjacent the vehicle occupant neck area, manuallyoperable selection means for selecting one of a plurality of basicairstream parameters, and a vehicle speed responsive control meansoperable to further adjust the selected basic airstream parameters as afunction of vehicle velocity.
 25. An air supply arrangement according toclaim 24, wherein said basic airstream parameters include airstreamvelocity and airstream temperature.
 26. An air supply arrangementaccording to claim 24, wherein the airstream supply system includes ablower and a heater, and wherein said selection means and control meansare operable to select and control the blower and heater.
 27. An airsupply arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the control means isoperable to change the velocity of the airstream linearly as a functionof the vehicle speed.
 28. An air supply arrangement according to claim25, wherein the control means is operable to change the velocity of theairstream non-linearly as a function of the vehicle speed.
 29. An airsupply arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the control means isoperable to change the temperature of the airstream linearly as afunction of the vehicle speed.
 30. An air supply arrangement accordingto claim 25, wherein the control means is operable to change thetemperature of the airstream non-linearly as a function of the vehiclespeed.
 31. An air supply arrangement according to claim 25, wherein thecontrol means is operable to change the temperature and the velocity ofthe airstream as a function of the vehicle speed.